Olex, a Nexans company, that serves the Australia and Asia Pacific markets, is supplying over 1,100 km of cable for the project, consisting of low voltage power cables as well as Alsecure® Premium fire resistant cables that feature Nexans’ innovative Ceramifiable® insulation technology.

Thiess-John Holland Joint Venture is currently building the Airport Link 6.7 km toll road, which is mainly underground, connecting the Clem 7 Tunnel, Inner City Bypass and local road network at Bowen Hills, to the northern arterials of Gympie Road and Stafford Road at Kedron, Sandgate Road and the East West arterial leading to the airport. In addition, Thiess-John Holland are extending the Northern Busway from Bowen Hills and as a two-lane, two way road for buses only, connecting the Royal Brisbane & Women’s Hospital to Kedron via the Lutwyche Road and Gympie Road corridor.

The Alsecure® Premium cables will be used mainly in the project’s two road tunnels, one northbound and one southbound, that are being constructed between 35 and 50 metres underground to link Windsor and Kedron. In the event of a fire, the unique Ceramifiable® polymer insulation of the cable will transform into a tough, protective ceramic shield to maintain the integrity and continuity of circuits for essential tunnel services such as alarms, pumps and fans that are vital for safe evacuation and fire fighting.

Ceramifiable® technology is the result of a 10-year development programme in which Nexans’ subsidiary has worked in close partnership with the Group’s International Research Centre based in France. The aim was to develop a new generation of fire resistant cables that offer both the tough and easy to handle surface expected from a traditional mica tape/XLPE cable and the strippability and easy installation of a flexible silicone rubber insulated cable.

In addition, Alsecure Premium® cables with Ceramifiable® technology emit low smoke when exposed to flames, are halogen-free, have low toxic and corrosive emissions and are flame retardant.

“A key feature of the Ceramifiable® construction is that it reduces the time required for terminations as there is no mica tape to be removed” says Graeme Moncrieff, Nexans Country Manager Australia, New-Zealand and Pacific Islands. “In specifying Alsecure® Premium for the Brisbane Airport Link, TJH JV identified not only the superior fire resistant offered by Ceramifiable®, but also its capability to offer significant cost savings over the entire project thanks to the reduced time required for each termination.”

Source: Nexans, Celine.Revillon@nexans.com